Les Stroud is much better with plants than I am but I have watched his show and I am constantly amazed that he survives at all. I watch him sit beside a stream or lake and complain about how hungry he is. If there is any significant amount of water around, there is planty of food to be had. I also remember a pig running him up a tree. Now I've dealt with pigs before. That one was not that big. Judging from cues around the pig, I would say maybe 50lbs tops. It also didn't have tusks. That pig could've easily been dinner. I'm sorry, but I don't think he is all that great. The abilities he has comes straight out of a boy scout manual. I don't know if he does it that way for a dramatic effect or if he really doesn't know any better. I would hope and suspect it's mostly for effect. At any rate, if you spend as much time as I have outdoors and reading as much material as I have, then you learn other ways of doing things. Also it helps to read a little history. Find out how the natives lived. Find out about the pioneers and why they had it so hard when the natives living all around them were thriving with no metal tools, no horses or pack animals of any kind, and they didn't even have wagons (at least they didn't have any of this stuff till the white man started trading with them). I encourage you all to go to the library and read some books on the daily life of the natives. It's truly amazing. I have no problem with gear or anything like that, in fact I've even mentioned that I use gear, but I don't see a need to crucify a guy just because he doesn't have to have it. If worse came to worse and I had no gear at all, I could make do. I have done it. If you don't think it can be done, then I think that survival may not be your strong suit. It may be that cacmping is more in line with what you are wanting to do. The fact of the matter is, if something comes along that's serious enough to make you leave your home for survival, chances are, it's going to be for more than three days. I am prepared for that. If I die in the process so be it, but I think I've got a better than average shot. And I would bet good money I could make it longer than alot of the people replying to this post. I didn't ask anyone to believe anything that is impossible or even outlandish. I simply said that tents weren't for me. If tents are your thing then good for you. It really doesn't matter to me. But if I say I can make a shelter, what's so hard to believe? You watched Les do it more than once. The one he made was a bit more involved than the ones I make since the frame is more elaborate, but I don't doubt that he could make his pretty fast. I certainly hope he can since he usually waits till the sun starts setting to start working on it. I guess all I'm trying to say is, if you don't believe what I say is true, that's fine by me, don't reply unless you can prove that in some way or another what I suggest is dangerous to others. If it's not, leave it alone. Making a shelter is one of the most elementary things you can do. If you don't know how, that's your problem. I promise you this though, I would rather have the knowledge to survive without gear over the gear to survive without knowledge. You have obviously made your choice as well.